Elizabeth Eisenhower, Mrs Robin
by AmeliaReddy
Summary: There are few things that make living in Gotham bearable. Tim Drake is one of them. This is the story of Elizabeth Eisenhower, and the first days of Tim Drake as Robin. Also, their love, and the obstacles they go through to maintain it. Late night battles, emotional parts and a very intregued Joker.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any of these characters; DC does.

**Hey! I don't know how this is going to turn out, but I want to try this. I hope it works, because I like this idea! Enjoy! **

There are few things that make living in Gotham bearable. One is the music. Over the course of my life, I have managed to turn the honking of cars, the whistling of the wind, the talented (or not –so talented) street performers, and the shouts of crime into my own, personal soundtrack. Another is Batman. Ever since he came into our lives, there has been someone to stand up for the little guys, someone who can make a difference without the restraining arm of the law. And the last is Tim. I met Tim Drake at school, and things have never been the same. He was a year older than me, and I would do what is probably considered stalking him down the hallway as he walked to his classes. I would learn his schedule and watch him, never having the guts to actually speak to him, and dream this tall, dark drink of water would swoop down and save me from the pressures of high society and crime in Gotham. I placed it between him and Batman to come for me, and, seeing this as the more realistic option, I wanted it to be Tim Drake. None of these dreams came true, until one day, I found myself placed in the same A.P. math class as him. I walked in the door, saw him sitting there and had an inner spazz attack, collected my semi-cool and sat in the perfect spot, behind him. That was, until a bratty, stuck up excuse of a woman tapped my shoulder.

"This is my seat. Get out," She motioned to the boy next to me, who sarcastically waved his fingers at me, and I had to move to my back-up location, in front of him. I wouldn't be able to gaze at his dreamy black hair, but at least this way I would have a better chance of getting noticed. Except, when I sat down, he didn't notice me at all. Wonderful. I was pretty much zoned out during role call, only to zone back in for my name and Tim's.

"Timothy Drake," the teacher called out. He responded with a half-hearted 'here'. "Elizabeth Eisenhower," I jerked my head up.

"Here," I called out. There. He was bound to notice me now. It sort of worked. He looked my direction briefly. _That's progress, _I thought to myself.

"So, we all know how to discover the location of Y on a graph," the teacher began with her spiel. I, personally, didn't care. I received a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to see none other than Tim Drake, staring back at me.

"Do you have a pencil I can borrow?" He whispered, showing that he had run out of lead in his mechanical one. I was frozen in shock for a moment, but quickly snapped out of it.

"I can do you one better," I replied, holding my hand out for him to place his pencil on. He cautiously obeyed. I took his pencil and checked which number lead he used, relieved to find it matched my own. I replaced his lead and turned back to him. "Good as new," I clicked his lead into place, showing what I had done.

"Do you guys want to teach this class? Because I will be more than happy to step down and let you two replace me. If not, I would appreciate your _full_ attention." The teacher scolded dramatically.

"Sorry Mrs. Jones," I replied without breaking eye contact. "It won't happen again." She turned back to her teachings.

_Thank you, _Tim mouthed to me. I smiled my top smile in return and turned around in my seat, only to realize that my hand were shaking due to being pumped full of adrenaline. I sighed and let it run its course.

That evening I had a function to attend with my family. My mother was an heiress from an oil company and my father was city secretary. Better deciphered: we were a part of Gotham's high society and we had a high society function to attend at a high society hotel in high society Gotham. My parents never let me forget how well off I was, and I'm pretty sure that my mother used that exact sentence to describe tonight's events to me. So, I put on one of my nice dresses and did my best to tame my auburn curls. I got in my parent's fancy car and we rode to one of the largest buildings I had ever seen- apart from Wayne Tower, of course. I walked into the building in my parent's shadow, but not before seeing the epic arrival of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. He rode up in his gray Lamborghini, escorted once again by a gorgeous model-worthy woman. I rolled my eyes and continued into the building. It seemed like a man with that much power and influence should be doing more than buying hotels that aren't up to his par and escorting a new bottle blonde every day.

"May I take your sweater, Miss?" Asked a man in a blue and read bellhop's uniform. I nodded and slid my sweater off my arms, handing it to him gratefully. My family and I had the relative misfortune of being seated with Bruce Wayne and his 'special friend'.

"Mr. and Mrs. Eisenhower, always a pleasure," He held out his hand toward my parents. We all settled into our seats, and so did I, which was really the first time he seemed to notice I was there. "And if it isn't little Ellie Eisenhower! I haven't seen you since you were about the height of this table! You've grown!"

"And so has your ego," I responded quietly. He shot a knowing grin my way and moved on to greet the rest of the table. My parents failed to hear my snarky comment, due to the greeting of various diplomats and such. Conversation drifted from economics to the new mayor, and somehow found its way to Batman.

"All he does for Gotham and the city still neglects his credit," a brunette said mournfully. "Ask me and I would favor his work over the work of the Gotham Task Force any day."

"Nobody's asking you, now are they?" Her husband said, forcefully shutting her down.

"Eh, I wouldn't completely shun the Police Department. They do what they can, and, honestly, do we really want to have to rely on this crazy Bat-Guy?" Bruce Wayne replied.

"He does what he thinks is right with the power he has," I said, looking Wayne straight in the face. "And there'll come a time when we don't need him, as soon as his image shocks the powerful into action." Wayne looked at me just then, and it was a look that I had never seen on him before. It seemed knowing and caring and, honestly, a bit frightening. But it vanished as fast as it came. And I could have sworn it seemed the complete embodiment of what Batman stood for. _What if Bruce Wayne really was using his power for good? _I asked myself. _Maybe this whole thing is just a charade, so no one would suspect him of being our masked vigilante. _It was food for thought.

The next day Tim seemed distracted. Well, more distracted than usual. But it wasn't like we had had enough conversation for me to ask without seeming like the stalker I knew I was. And, I spent the whole class mulling over how to speak with him and who Batman really was, that when it came time to actually work, I was totally lost. I glanced inconspicuously behind me and Tim seemed to know what he was doing. I sighed, swallowed my fears and turned around, plopping my papers on his desk. He looked up at me quickly.

"I am completely lost. Will you help me?" He seemed to laugh at some joke in his mind.

"To be honest with you, I am too." I sighed. "But I will try my hardest." We spent the rest of the class debating our thoughts on the best way to find the degree of the vertex and what exactly this had to do with volume, or if we were all just crazy. We finally agreed that we were all just crazy. By the end of the hour I felt like I was no longer an obscene stalker, but almost a friend. As we were walking out the door I remembered my earlier predicament.

"I couldn't help but notice that you seemed a little conflicted earlier. Is everything okay?" I asked. I seemed to have a thing for going out of my comfort zone lately. He seemed to debate weather or not to confide in me, and I guess I eventually won over.

"Have you ever been at a fork in the metaphorical road?"

"Do you mean, like making a tough decision? Then, yes. Why?" I looked at him deeply.

"There's this…job I am thinking about taking. It's kind of dangerous, but it feels like the right course. What should I do?"

"One must never be fearful about what they are doing if it is right. Rosa Parks said that. And you know what?" I stopped walking and stared into his eyes, memorizing them. "I agree with her." With that I picked up walking again and headed to my locker, getting ready for lunch.

After school on Thursdays is the only time all of my friends are free. We have no clubs, no sports and no extracurricular, so all my friends meet at a small café in town. Granted, it's not exactly the safest spot, but it works for all of us, so we use it. I informed all of them about my adventures in math class and they were all equally excited for me. Around time the sun began to set, we decided it was time to head on out. I said goodbye and made my way down the sidewalks and alleys it took to get to our upscale apartment. As I entered an alleyway I found myself face to face with a gun. I froze in my spot. Sadly, I recognized the face on the other end. It was a senior boy that I saw at school sometimes. He was known for being a thug, and he was once even charged with rape. Of course, the girl disappeared before she could testify. Some people say he has Mafia connections, but no one wants to find out for sure.

"Look who it is," He said, snickering. "It's Ellie Eisenhower, the cute little sophomore." I shuddered as he pinned me against the wall.

"How do you know my name?" I muttered, coldly.

"One can't walk those halls, and look as fine as you, and go unnoticed. Those pretty little looks of yours really are attention grabbers." He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. "Such perfect skin," He smelled my hair with his eyes closed, "Such beautiful hair." He ran a hand under my shirt, over my stomach, making me shudder. I squirmed and I squealed, but that only managed to get the gun pressed tighter against my temple. "Now don't move, and don't make a sound." A tear slipped down my cheek and I silently prayed to anyone that would listen. _Please, don't let this happen. I've never done anything to deserve this. Please. _As if my prayers were being answered, two large, caped figures came down from the sky and one of them landed on top of my attacker. I immediately recognized the one. It was Batman! But who was this other fellow? Robin was dead!

I watched in awe as Batman took down the man who had confronted me, with assistance from the man in the yellow, red and green. Not that Batman needed much help. When the other man was sure Batman had it under control, he stepped over to me.

"Are you okay?" I couldn't think. He had such nice eyes. But they were so familiar. It seemed like I had seen them before… "Miss, are you alright?" I snapped back to reality. I nodded vigorously.

"Y-yes," I managed to stammer. "Who are you?" I spilled out, before I managed to stop myself. He smiled.

"I'm Robin, the trainee." I nodded, despite the still confused expression on my face.

"What are you training for?" I asked. Okay, I'll admit, I was pretty out of it.

"To save the good people like you." He winked and he soared out, along with Batman and my attempted rapist. I sighed and trudged back to my home, a dazed expression on my face.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not have in my ownership the rights to Batman, like DC does.

**Hola any and all readers! I want to make this clear; this is NOT a one-shot! I am planning on making this a complete work, so, don't bail on me now. Alright! I really hope people that read review, just for the opinion of another Batman lover. Here we go! **

I walked into the police station, my mind soaring. I knew it would be awkward to go home and say, 'Hey mom! Yeah, this guy tried to rape me, but its okay! Batman and his protégé came along just in time'? I didn't think so. This situation would feel at least slightly more comfortable at the police station, to my everlasting confusion. I walked up to the counter and looked at the woman behind the desk.

"I need to speak with someone, please," I said in an emotionless tone. She barely glanced up at me. I could tell she was very busy, and I was merely an irritation.

"Hon, whatever your boyfriend did or didn't do, I can't help you. And we are very busy, so don't come back about this." It just wasn't fair. At any other police station in any other city, I would have at least been afforded a, 'What do you need?' But, no. This was Gotham.

"I was walking home and this guy tried to rape me. I just thought the police would like to know. It is their job." I stared at her, clearly showing off my 'I told you so' look. This got her attention.

"Sit down and I'll have someone to interview you ASAP." I took my victory, however small, and sat in the not exactly comfortable waiting chair. Soon enough there was, as far as I could tell, a junior detective taking me to an interview room. He sat me down and pulled out a notepad.

"Tell me exactly what happened." He looked kind of bored to be interviewing a no good slut teenager on a night that the Batman was out! I rolled my eyes at him. I knew just well that there was no such thing as a small crime.

"Uh, I was walking home from that café in town, and I walked into an alley where there was this guy holding a gun to me. I recognized him as a senior at Gotham High. He pinned me to the wall, and said something like, 'Look at Ellie Eisenhower.' I was like, 'How do you know my name?' He said, 'Someone can't be as fine as you and go unnoticed.' Then he sniffed me and felt up my cheek and started feeling up my shirt when Batman swooped down to come to my rescue." At this he became startled.

"Batman was there?" I nodded like it was the most obvious thing around. "This sounds like Gordan's kind of case." With that he got up and left the room. I sighed and leaned back into my chair.

"Thanks for the help," I muttered ungratefully. "Gotham wouldn't be anywhere without its strapping police force." I sat there, fiddling with objects currently on my person, when a tall man with a thick mustache completely dominating his upper lip barged into the room. I glared at his hurried manner, and took my sweet time responding to his questions just to get on his nerves. Don't ask me why; I won't be able to answer. I was just not having a very good night, and I felt the need to worsen others' nights. I think I read a book about this that classified me as a 'bucket dipper'; I steal from other people's metaphorical buckets to make myself feel better. Whatever.

"Batman was there with you?" He asked urgently. I nodded. "What did he do with your attacker?" I shrugged.

"Batman took him down and Robin came to ask how I was." He looked at me.

"Robin?" I stared at him. That's right! No one knew Robin was alive. He was the new kid on the block again.

"There's a new Robin on the block," I said, speaking my mind. He nodded, adjusting to this information.

"Great. All this town needs is another vigilante running around," The guy that was previously interviewing me muttered. I glared at him.

"Yeah? So where was this spectacular police force when that guy was trying to rape me? It seems Batman and Robin are the only guys able to stop crime before it happens. And you two are in here interviewing me, when you should be out there looking for a rapist!" I shoved a pointed finger in the direction of the window. With that the mustached man rose from his seat.

"Thank you for your help, Miss Eisenhower. If you would please stay here, we will contact your parents and let you know as soon as this man is captured." I nodded.

"I'll send out a team, Lieutenant Gordan," the earlier officer said and rushed out the door.

"Lieutenant?" I asked cautiously. He glanced my way. "I'm sorry I offended the very station that is helping me out. Thank you." He gave me a weary smile.

"As much as we hate to admit it, you may have a point, Miss Eisenhower. And, you're welcome. Its not often we get a thank you around here. Just wait here and we will be in touch with your parents." I smiled self consciously and lowered my head, only hearing him exit the room. I wasn't sure what to do with myself, being alone in this oh-so-lonely room. I flipped open my bag, seeing if there was anything in there to keep me preoccupied. The first thing I saw was my makeup bag. I flipped open my mirror to check myself. Even after being an attempted rape victim, I was partially preoccupied with my looks. This should give some insight on my upbringing. I flipped it closed, not as much okay with my appearance, but too exhausted to do anything about it. I mused through my binders from school, seeing my finished math homework and immediately thinking about Tim. Then I remembered earlier, when I had been gazing into his eyes, and realized just how much they looked like Robin's. _It can't be, _I thought to myself. Had I really uncovered this so soon? If Bruce Wayne really was Batman, as I suspected, admittedly, out of gut feeling, and this new Robin character was Timothy Drake, I could be rewarded for this! Not that I was ever going to turn them in. What did I have, a gut feeling and similar eyes? But it wasn't only that, it was that I didn't want to stop Batman. And Robin. Batman and Robin, as I was going to have to get used to saying once more. They had saved me! It wasn't like I was going to reward them by turning them in to the cops. Please. I had at least the semblance of a conscience.

My mother chose that moment to make a dramatic entrance into my interviewing room, my father following close behind. She wrapped her arms around me and openly wept.

"My sweet baby, I'm so glad you're okay," She sobbed into my shoulder. I cringed.

"Mom, I'm fine. Stop acting like I'm dead," I glanced around at the various officers that were glancing into the room as they passed. She lifted her entire body weight off of my shoulder and wiped her eyes.

"Okay. As long as you're sure you're okay." She left the end of that statement open, more like a question. I rolled my eyes at her drama. She smacked me. "Don't you roll your eyes at me! You don't know what I went through when I received a phone call saying you were at the damn _police _station!" I sighed and hugged her.

"I don't know what you went through." My mother had a way of always turning things around to make her look like the victim. "But I'm fine. Now may we please go?" My mother agreed, and we left that encasing room. I saw Lieutenant Gordan in the hallway before I left. "Will you be sure to let us know when you catch him?" He noticed that I said 'when you catch him' instead of 'if you catch him'.

"Will do," he said, patting my shoulder as I walked away. Back at home my mom let me have the honor of choosing where we ate. Of course, I chose this quaint little Italian restaurant in downtown Gotham, which, to my relief, delivered. We turned on the news, only to see a bird's eye view of the Bat-Signal. Strung to the Bat-Signal was the senior boy that had attacked me. My parents saw this and gasped as my name was running under the image and they gave a newscast about how I had been rescued from this man by none other than the Batman and his new sidekick Robin.

"Some promises they have," my father muttered just as the telephone rang. "Yes?" He answered impatiently. "You have? Well, I'll let her know. Thank you." And he hung up. "That was Lieutenant Gordan. He says they have the man in their custody." Needless to say, I went to sleep a happy girl.

The next day in school I received quite a collection of 'Oh my goodness, I'm so happy you're alive!' and other things like, 'Was Batman really as sexy in person as in all of his photos?' By the time math class came along, I really wasn't in the mood to make small talk with Tim Drake. I plopped my things down on my desk and let my head fall down with it. "Ow," I muttered as my head clunked down harder than expected. I just let it lay there. Frankly, I was exhausted with all these people jumping to conclusions and my need to keep up appearances. It really did sound like a workout. I received a tap on the shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I looked back to see none other than Tim Drake.

"I'm tired of people," I grumbled. He retracted his hand. "Don't worry. People not meaning you." I assured him. I'm not sure I could ever be tired of him. He smiled, relieved.

"Alright. Is there anything I can do for you?" I thought about this. I considered saying, 'You are more than welcome to take me out on a date,' but it sounded like the cheap pickup line it was. So I thought of the next best thing.

"You can pay attention today and then teach it to me later so I don't have to learn at this moment in time."

"If we meet up after school, you have yourself a deal." Wait. Was this him coming on to me? I took this victory. I stuck my hand out for him to shake.

"Deal." And he shook on it. I spent the hour pretending to take notes, when, really, I was doodling and preparing myself for the inevitable sea of hormonal teenagers that was awaiting me when the hour was over. As soon as the teacher said the words, "You may use the rest of the hour to finish up your work," I spun around to face Tim. It appeared he had been expecting me. "Do you understand?" I asked him.

"Sure do," was his response. I smiled.

"So where do you want to meet up?" I was really happy about this.

"Do you want to go to the coffee house? It's quiet enough so I can teach you this lesson. I'm guessing you still aren't really in the learning mood." Boy was he right.

"Yeah, it sounds like a plan. And I appoint you with the honor of walking me home."

"Well, I appoint myself with the honor of walking you there. So I guess you can forget about ditching me." I laughed at that. The thought of me ditching him made me laugh. Him ditching me I could see; but definitely not the other way around.

"Darn. You just foiled my evil scheme." We both laughed about that and got up simultaneously as the end of class bell rang. I put my books in my bag and began the motion to sling it over my shoulder, when a large hand grabbed it. Tim slung my book bag over his shoulder instead and led me out the door. This was beyond amazing. He looked down at me fondly.

"Would you like to eat lunch with me?" He asked.

"I would like to, but I don't want you to get tired of me before tonight." I was totally serious, but he laughed.

"I don't think that will happen." I stared longingly at his features. Why was this guy so suddenly into me? I had never once spoken to him and I practically stalked him for over a year. I'm sure he would have noticed me before now, so why? I didn't get the time to come up with an answer, because a giant hunk of man-thug decided to take that moment to shove me against a locker. He had an arm crushing my throat and what appeared to be a small knife pressed to my cheek. You would think a school in a city as messed up as Gotham would have a security system, or at least some way of keeping future Mafia boys from bringing weapons to school, but I guess not. His breath smelled strongly of saliva and onions as he whispered to me.

"Since you prevented Jared from finishing the job last night, it looks like we'll have to." Jared must have been the guy Batman and Robin took down last night. And it would seem he sent his 'home boys' to finish his handiwork. Fantastic. I kneed him in the groin.

"Get off me you hunk of idiot!" Granted, it probably wasn't my best insult, but I'm not exactly the Captain of Wit. He came right back up, pressing harder with the knife.

"You've got spunk. That makes it a lot more fun." I really didn't want to stick around to find out what 'it' was. It seemed Tim knew what he was doing, because he grabbed the thug want-to-be and pulled him away from me. He tried to fight back by grabbing both of Tim's shoulders, but Tim grabbed his arm and bent it in. I squeezed my eyes closed when I heard the sickening snap of bones. His arm was broken. He fell to the ground and Tim came to my side, checking to make sure I was okay. The thug got to his knees.

"We'll be seeing you." Mr. Thug seethed through his teeth. Tim put a protective arm around me and led me away as the crowd really began to gather.

"I think we should just go to your house after school," Timothy proposed. I had to agree. I almost had yet another spazz attack when I felt a warm substance trickle down my cheek from where Mr. Thug had been holding the small pocket knife. At first I didn't know what it was. I brushed a hand over it and began to hyperventilate when I saw it was blood. I found a window I could use as a mirror and saw a small cut about half an inch long. I, to my regret, began to pout, and we all know how attractive it is when a pouter hyperventilates. It seemed this was the first time Timothy noticed and turned me to face him. I furrowed my eyebrows and stuck my lips out. An irritated moan escaped my lips.

"I look like the Joker now. It's going to scar and people are going to think I'm the Joker's distant cousin." Tim laughed at me.

"It's not going to scar. And you are ten times more beautiful than the Joker. No one would ever even think you two are distantly related." I let the top of my head fall onto his chest, careful not to bloodstain his shirt.

"Okay. Wait here. I'm going to go wash off my bloody face." I arched my eyebrows at him and headed to the restroom not far down the hall. I turned in the door and walked to the sink. I was surprised my face didn't hurt that badly. It probably would later. I took a paper towel from the dispenser and wet it under the sink. I gently wiped the blood away to see the source of the bleeding. It was a diagonal cut on my right cheek, and it was about an inch long. I sighed and wiped away the remainder of the blood, grabbing another napkin to use as a bandage until the bleeding ceased. I sulked back into the hallway and found Tim just where I had left him. I smiled lightly at me, noticing my deep frown. He wrapped an arm around my side, letting it rest on the small of my back.

"You look like you need a distraction."

"Wow, are you psychic or something?" I just wasn't having a good day.

"Do you want to go out to eat lunch with me?"

"Yes. But are we aloud to?" He looked around.

"There's no one to stop us."

"What if Jared's thugs come after us?"

"Then there'll be no one to stop me from putting them in the hospital." I had made a really good decision on whom to stalk.

"Then yes. But you're paying," I told him as we took one more look around and exited through the doors.

"I can do that." We went to the coffee shop we were going to go to after school. It's small and locally owned, which I think is the best way to go. If you get too big, it stops being about doing what you love, and begins to be about the money. It was the one thing I ever agreed with the Joker on; it shouldn't be about the money. Immediately Bruce Wayne popped into my mind. I shook out the thought and went back to enjoying my lunch with my dream guy.


	3. Chapter 3

DC comics hold the rights to Batman and Robin!

**Sup? This story is! I am hoping to get more readers soon, because I'm going to be sad if I don't but I promise I will never stop writing. EVER! 3 And there may be some discrepancies with the timeline, but it is all for the good of the story, so anything you see that doesn't quite fit with the movies or comics, I have manipulated to fit my plot. I hope it doesn't irritate any readers! If it does, please say so and I will try my hardest to fix things up. Thank you all! **

School was out, and I was walking home with the man of my dreams, Timothy Drake. I still wasn't exactly sure why Tim had chosen to take an interest in me at that moment in time. I wondered what would happen if I asked him. I didn't exactly want him to know that I had been stalking him for all this time, but I did want an answer. Maybe we just hadn't had anything to talk about for all this time. Or I could have just made a really good stalker. We finally made it to my apartment building, and Tim pushed open the door for me. I waved to our security guard who smiled and waved back and I selected the elevator for us to use. I still wasn't exactly sure what to say when we were alone. I read that if two people were meant for each other, conversation should flow. And it did, usually. We both leaned against the elevator wall.

"So…" My foot dwindled against the wall. "What's your middle name?" I wondered, asking the first question that came to mind.

"Jackson. Why?"

"Just making conversation." I held my hands up in surrender. He laughed.

"What's yours?"

"Jane," I smiled and pulled my hair back behind my ear. I looked up and saw those eyes. They were probably the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. "Tim," I wondered, my face suddenly going serious. "Are you Robin?" His face changed.

"What makes you ask that?" I lifted a hand to his cheek.

"Your unforgettably beautiful eyes. Please tell me the truth." He looked conflicted.

"Elizabeth, I-" I interrupted him.

"Call me Ellie." He smiled.

"Ellie, there's so much going on here," the elevator door chose that moment to ding open, and it revealed my neighbors, looking very interested in my current position with this boy they had never seen.

"Good evening Miss Eisenhower," my neighbor, a very important diplomat, said. I smiled.

"Good evening," we left the elevator and went in the direction of my apartment.

"I wouldn't want you to get hurt," Tim said, finishing his earlier statement. At my door I stopped and turned to face him. I'm not sure what took over me, but I wouldn't change it if I could. I reached my hands up to his face and pulled him into a short, yet passionate kiss. His lips were soft against mine, and it just felt so incredibly right.

"Thank you for saving me," I whispered into his ear, and then turned to unlock my door. I looked back at him to see his still dazed, but content, face. My parents were seated at the kitchen counter, looking like they were awaiting my arrival. "Mom, Dad," I said, "This is Tim Drake. He's going to be helping me with my math lesson today." My father nodded, but my mother was the one who knew what this really was. It was almost like she could still see our kiss on my lips.

"And, will you two be having these, study _dates_ often?" She put emphasis on the word 'date' by moving her wine glass around in the air. I smiled and set my things on the couch.

"You never do know about these things." She winked at me and motioned to my father.

"Harold, there is something I want you to see in our bedroom." She called to my father.

"Can I see it later?"

"Now, Harold." He huffed and got up from where he was sitting. I laughed and sat on the floor, using the couch to lean my back on.

"You can sit on the couch if you would like," I told to Tim.

"I wouldn't be able to teach you very well if I were way up there, now would I?" I smiled.

"No, you would not." To my surprise, I was able to concentrate enough on the lesson at hand that I learned enough to complete my work. Just as I was finishing up, my mother rushed into the room, huffing and puffing. She reached for the television remote and turned it on to the local news channel. Then she rushed around to lock all the windows and doors. "Mom, what is going on?"

"The Joker has escaped from Arkham!" This sent a look of panic on both Tim's and my own face. We turned our attention to the television and the story Joker's escape. There were many searchlights, and there was a close up on the Bat-signal that had been switched on. I immediately knew that Tim should be going out with Batman instead of teaching me Geometry. Tim's cell phone went off and I briefly saw the caller ID. It almost looked like it said 'Batman'. I sighed, knowing he needed to leave. He answered it, and had a hushed conversation I couldn't quite make out. When he hung up, he gave me an apologetic look.

"I know," I told him. I led him to the door. I led him to the hallway and closed the door behind us. "Timothy, the Joker is dangerous. Be careful,"

"I will." He reached down and pulled me into a kiss, our second kiss. I wished he could just stay here and worry with me. I wished he didn't have to go out and risk this thing that was so new between us. _One must never be fearful about what they are doing if it is right, _my words coming back to haunt me. He leaned away from me, and began walking back down the hall.

"When you get back," I called after him, "You have to take me out on a real date. Dinner with me, tomorrow."

"I'll pay," he called, giving me that 1,000 watt smile that could melt my heart.

"You better!" And I watched him run up the stairs, already changing into his costume. I sighed and made my way back into my home.

"Lock that door behind you!" My mother called when I got back into the room. I did.

"Why on earth would the Joker come here if he got out? It's hardly likely that he would ride up thirteen floors in a high-end apartment building and just happen to knock on our door." My mother pointed a dramatic finger my way.

"Shut your mouth. Great, my only child just jinxed us." And she went into the kitchen to refill her glass of white wine.

"Easy on the vino there, momma. You wouldn't want to be hung over for our dinner at Wayne Manner tomorrow, now would you?" She shot me her iciest glare and continued to slurp down her beverage. I went to my bedroom and lay down on my bed. My brow was furrowed just thinking about Tim flying around on rooftops with the Batman. I just wanted Tim to be safe. But I couldn't help feel responsible for this. After all, I was the one who told him to take the job. I had all these mixed emotions running around in my head, I just wanted to escape. I smashed my face into my pillow and let a scream loose. I was suddenly overtaken with a wave of exhaustion. I didn't know what time it was, but I didn't really care. I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me. It was so very peaceful there…

_ I was in a dark, cold room. It was damp in here, like there was running water somewhere around. My hands were bound and my mouth was gagged. I couldn't get out of this corner, out of this darkness. Panic set in and I couldn't help but begin to cry. The uneasiness in my stomach was too much to bear. A voice rang out, but I couldn't tell where it came from. _

_ "Don't worry, little one." It spoke out comfortingly. "All will become clear, in time." _

_ "But there is no time to waste! I have to go soon!" I responded, all of a sudden no longer gagged. _

_ "Have faith in the unfaithful to protect those you love." _

_ "What is that supposed to mean?" _

_ "It means close your eyes. Stop trying to solve all your problems and just let some of them solve themselves. Not everything that goes unattended winds around to catastrophe. Believe it will all be okay." I was taken over by a sense of calm. _

_ "It is okay now." _

_ "You know what I always say," The voice got closer and closer. "Why so serious?" I let out a shriek as the Joker appeared, holding a long knife. He shoved it into my hands, handle first. "Welcome to boot camp, kid. Fist lesson: self destruction. You need your own little symbol." He moved my hand with the knife in it to my face and began to make an 'E' out of the existing cut on my face. I tried to wriggle out of his grasps, but his smile widened and he only dug deeper. _

_ "Have faith that things will work themselves out…" _

I jumped about a foot into the air as I was startled awake. My dream had been terrible. I felt my face was damp, as I had actually been crying. I moved a hand to my cheek, as if making sure my dream had not been real. It wasn't there was still a white napkin taped down covering my cheek. I looked out my window to find that it was dark. I look to my clock and saw it was 3:24 A.M. I sighed and swung my legs over the side of my bed. I sure wasn't going back to sleep. I waddled into the kitchen and got myself a glass of water before sitting down on the couch and turning on the news to see if there was any word on Robin, Batman or the whole Joker escapade. I turned the volume down, not wanting to wake my parents. ON the bottom of the screen was a list of all the places closing due to the Joker's escape. Gotham High was one of them. Looks like my education was being put on hold for a psychopathic criminal who likes playing cards. Well, with one card in particular. The newscaster said that Batman had been out with his sidekick again that night.

Yeah. I was totally dating Robin.


	4. Chapter 4

To my everlasting chagrin, I do not own Batman or Robin. DC comics do, though!

**Hello! I know this chapter has taken a while to come, but here it is! It may seem like pointless flurries, but I sort of have a vision! Also, I think that in my story, Tim Drake is still the third Robin, but everyone is so confused because they all thought Robin was dead. So that should clear up some of that. These are Tim's first adventures out as Robin, and I may throw in some Nightwing action later in the story! So, Dick Grayson became Nightwing, Jason Todd died, and Tim Drake stepped in and this is where we are in the timeline. So everyone was all, 'Who is Robin?' not because they had never heard of him, but because they all thought he was dead. Does that clear up some confusion? And I also figured this was a great time to whip out some Joker action. So Joker just broke out. Are we all good now? If you are still confused, send me a message and I will smooth things out. Here we go! **

"Baby, what are you doing up?" It was 5:30, when my father usually gets up in the morning, and he wandered into the kitchen/living room area to find me, my eyes plastered to the re-showing of Batman and Robin's escapades of last night, with the headline, 'Robin's Revival'. No one had known who he was, because we had all watched in horror as Robin was killed a few years ago. Now, I was terror struck watching Tim Drake on my screen, facing the same dangers so many had faced before him.

"I couldn't sleep," was my response.

"You should be in bed; you have school in a few hours!"

"No I don't. My education has been put on hold to 'ensure the students of Gotham are not harmed during the hunt and capture of the Joker', to put it in the words of the commissioner. Easier understood: they don't want to have to worry about Joker blowing up a building full of kids." I rolled my eyes. My father patted my shoulder.

"Lighten up. Just think of it like a snow day, minus the snow."

"Oh, Joy," I muttered and turned back to the screen. The bird's eye view was gone and they were broadcasting about the school closings again.

"Do you want anything to eat?" My father called to me.

"No, thanks," I responded quietly. At that moment my cell phone chirped, telling me I had received a text message. I quickly looked down to see who it was. _Tim 3 _read the caller ID. I know, it's kind of stalker-y, but I'm a stalker, what can I say? I looked to see what it said.

_Out of work. Meet me 4 breakfast around 8? _What could I say but yes?

_Sure thing. Where? _I responded quickly.

_Does the Coffee House sound ok with you? _

_ See u there;) _I said, fully aware that I had actually winked, and sighed happily. Around 6:30 I began to get ready, taking a much needed shower and leaving my hair to dry in its usual curls. Then I flipped through my closet, picking out my clothes for the day. I settled on a pair of jean shorts and a pink sleeveless lace top with frills. I knew I would wear this for any occasion, but it felt extra special for today. I was finally ready around 7:30, and was anxious to get there, so I decided there was no harm in arriving early. I slung my body crossing bag over myself and went to the door.

"Mom, I'm going out," I called to the room.

"Be back in time for the dinner at Wayne Manor," My mother called back to me. Crap! I had forgotten all about our dinner at Wayne Manor. Looks like I was going to have to cancel dinner with Tim tonight. "We leave at five. Be home in time to get ready." I agreed and left the house. I rode the thirteen floors down and waved once again to the security guard, then walked out to the Gotham heat. It was May, and it was already about eighty degrees in Gotham. I contemplated grabbing a cab, but seeing the traffic for the day, I decided walking seemed like the better option. I had to push my way through the clumps of people to get down the sidewalk, when I saw my favorite street artist around. He called himself 'Bluesin' Joe' and every time I saw him I stopped to visit and pay a tip. He called me Ariel, because of my hair. I checked the time, and seeing it was 7:41 decided to stay for a minute. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd. The song ended soon and he acknowledged my presence.

"Hey, it's Ariel! How're you doin', baby?" I smiled.

"Better having seen you, Joe," I replied happily.

"Will you stop and sing a song with me? Do you have time?" This was not an unusual request, and I usually said yes. I knew most of the songs he played.

"I'm not sure, I have to be somewhere at eight."

"What, you got a hot date or something?"

"Actually, yes."

"Come on, honey, I'm sure you can spare five minutes to spread the love." This was one of the reasons I liked Joe; he was a visionary. He was a visionary who wanted to change Gotham for the better with his music. I nodded and Walked to him.

"What are we singing today?" I asked.

"You'll know it," he responded with a small smile and began to play a song I knew very well. It was the first song I had ever sung with him: 'Blackbird' by The Beatles. We began to sing together:

"_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_ Take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_ All your life_

_ You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

_ Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_ Take these sunken eyes and learn to see_

_ All your life_

_ You were only waiting for this moment to be free _

_ Blackbird fly, blackbird fly." _A larger crowd began to gather around us as we sang the words to a popular song, trying to spread the peace into Gotham City. I wanted this city to be safer for the good people like Joe. Many came up and dropped bills into Joe's open guitar case, and when we were done, I did too.

"Ariel, you should be taking some of that. You earned it, babe." I shook my head.

"I don't need it, Joe. Have a nice day. I know I will." I smiled and patted him on the shoulder before walking away from the crowd. Down the street was the Coffee House and I checked the time. 7:50. I shrugged and got a table. We were seated toward the back with a full view of the store; the way I knew Tim liked it. A few minutes before eight Tim walked in and I waved to him. He rushed to the back, a huge smile growing on his face and I stood to greet him. He pulled me into a tight hug and I reacted. He smelled like he had just showered, and his hair was slightly wet. I smiled at that, too.

"I'm so glad you're okay," I whispered into his ear. He pulled away and we sat down.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Because I saw you two chasing down criminals, on the hunt for the Joker. But the Joker is dangerous, and I want to get to know you before he kills you, too!" He put his hand over mine.

"He won't kill me. I'm smarter than he thinks."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." I replied coolly. He smiled at some joke in his head, and then pulled me into a kiss. That definitely extinguished any anger I still had on the subject.

"Would this be our second date?" He asked me with a smug smirk on his face.

"I think it would," I replied, falling under his spell.

"So we're dating." He stated, more as a question than a statement.

"It sure looks that way."

"So, how many dates would it be until you're my girlfriend?" A huge smile was planted firmly on his face.

"Oh, at least three," I said, pulling him into another kiss.

"That really gets me pumped for tonight then." I pulled away and cringed, remembering I had dinner with Bruce Wayne tonight.

"That reminds me," I began with a scowl on my face. "I can't make it." His smile vanished. "I forgot I have to go to dinner at the Wayne Manor tonight." His face was pleading me to back out. "I'm sorry! Wayne is thinking of hiring my father as his attorney, and the whole family needs to be there to make a good impression. Granted, our chance at a first impression disappeared a long time ago, but this could affect my life too, so, however I feel about Bruce, I have to shove it down until it's nothing more than an irritating itch on my finger." He furrowed his brow at me.

"How _do_ you feel about Bruce?" I sighed.

"I _feel _that he is just a poor little rich boy who has had one too many ego-boosts. But I'm sure there is more to him. I have to at least give him the benefit of the doubt." Tim nodded.

"Alright," He said, pleased at my response. "Now, what do you say we order some food? I have to make this the equivalent of our nonexistent dinner tonight." I nodded. He summoned the waitress and we ordered one coffee and one cappuccino, (I had the cappuccino) and then we ordered our food. I had a blueberry muffin, and, after much thinking, Tim ordered two apple Danishes.

"I forgot this place served crappy breakfast food," Tim said, staring at the small Danishes. I laughed.

"But they have fantastic muffins," I bragged as I began to peel away the wrapper. "Never in history have I ever turned down a blueberry muffin when offered. They are by far my favorite food."

"So you love blueberry muffins and you sing with street performers. Duly noted." I chocked on my favorite food.

"You saw that?" I muttered through a mouthful of muffin.

"It was hard to miss." I stared at him, pleading him to be lying. "You're a great singer, by the way."

"And you're a great liar." He scoffed at me.

"It's not a lie."

"And I don't have curly hair." He gasped.

"It's all a cover up? I thought we had something special!" I smacked him.

"Shut up and eat your food." He laughed. The waitress came up to us with a smile.

"I take it you're food is good?" We nodded, Tim having taken a bite of his. "Good. So, how long have you guys been dating? From the sounds of it, it's been a while."

"This is our second date," Was what I was about to say when Tim interrupted me.

"Two years," He smiled and reached over to hold my hand. I smiled awkwardly back and the waitress nodded, refilling Tim's coffee. When she left I narrowed my gaze on Tim.

"What was that?" He laughed again.

"How do you expect me to get good at my lying if I never practice?" I just rolled my eyes at him.

We left the Coffee house soon after that, me carrying a Styrofoam cup of cappuccino and a plastic bag with another muffin. Tim bribed me by saying I was 'Too thin and I needed some meat on my bones.' You can get a girl to do just about anything by saying she's too thin. I shoved the muffin into my body-crossing bag. We walked slowly, not heading back to my apartment but just taking in the streets. I had my arm hooked through his and we eventually made our way to the uptown work buildings, of which the Wayne Tower was included. When we walked through that area we found one of the few clean lakefronts and sat on a bench. There were seagulls and homeless men and mothers rushing their children along, but it all looked like home to me. I leaned my head on his shoulder. It was nice to find someone else who could just sit and be content.

"What time is it?" I asked him quietly.

"It's about nine-thirty, why?" I snuggled in closer to him.

"I have to start heading home about three-thirty. I want to make the most out of our time together." He nodded.

"We have a lot of time. What do you want to do?" I wasn't sure. I had done most everything there is to be done in this crap hole of a city. Then I remembered something.

"I think there is a charity carnival uptown. Do you want to check in, maybe browse?"

"Let's do this thing," He said, determined to make a day out of it. They found their way to the entrance and Tim graciously paid my five dollar entrance fee, along with the free rides pass. I felt all kinds of awesome. "Where to?" He asked, and I smiled my evil smile while pulling him toward a face painting booth. I got my face painted like a cat, and I forced him to get the dog paint.

"Now we match," I said contently as we walked on to our next adventure.

"Now we look like four-year-olds," He corrected me.

"What's the problem with that?" I asked him. He gave no answer, except a smile that told me he was finally seeing things my way. We tossed our coffee cups into the nearest trash can and looked for a ride. I saw one and immediately knew it was the one to ride: The Himalaya. Tim got to sit on the outside and get crushed under my weight, but eventually he stopped fighting it and pulled me onto his lap, then into a kiss.

"Now this is a ride I could get used to," He admitted and we both laughed at that. The hours passed quickly, but, every good thing must come to an end. Three-thirty rolled around and Tim and I left the carnival, content with our good times. It really had been eye opening and fun, and we were sad it was over, but we were happy with the fun that had been had. Tim walked me to my door and kissed me good-bye, and I smiled the smile of a woman in love.

After greeting my parents I went to my room to get myself ready. The first thing I had to do was wash off my face paint. I went into my bathroom and began to wipe it off. After that I used a face wash to get the rest of the makeup out of my pores. I let my hair loose and started selecting my clothing. I chose a tight stretchy pink lace skirt with a flowing white tank top over a pink camisole. I opted not to cut off my wrist band and put a pink flower bracelet on the same wrist. I put on some white sandals and painted my toes for good measure. I checked my hair and decided it was good, and then walked to the living room. My father was waiting by the door and my mother was rushing to finish. I grabbed my flower print bag and placed my things in it, and then met him at the door.

"Are we leaving soon?"

"As soon as your mother comes out." He looked me over. "You look nice."

"Anything for you." I elbowed him and my mother came out, looking great but in a rushed panic. She began frantically waving her arms.

"Let's go now before I change my mind about this outfit and want to go back." She stopped to look at me. "You look nice," she said before marching to the car. My father and I exchanged a glance.

"She's you're mother," He told me.

"Oh no; you married her. This one's on you." He nodded, accepting his fate, and then we all got to the car, beginning the long ride to Wayne Manor.


	5. Chapter 5

Urgent News: I do not own _Batman. _ All rights remain with DC Comics.

**Hello all! Sorry for the wait! I got hung up in the tangled mess of life. But, to make it up to you wonderful readers, I present to you, the next addition to 'Elizabeth Eisenhower, Mrs. Robin'. Enjoy! **

Driving to Wayne Manor was a long endeavor of my mother fussing over her hair and my father huffing in irritation with her complaints about her obviously perfect appearance. We were let into the Manor by an elderly British man, introduced as Alfred, who had a gaze that gave off the appearance that he knew exactly what was going through your mind. It made me feel the slightest bit uneasy. Not to mention that Bruce Wayne waltzed into the room oozing dominance and male confidence twenty-five minutes later than our set date.

"Perfection takes time," he replied smoothly, excusing his fault. We sat at a long rectangular table in what he called the dining room, but I got the feeling he had never even set foot in the room. He got settled into his seat smugly and I adjusted my demeanor, placing my cloth napkin into my lap, as taught by my father before many of these business dinners. "Thank you for being so considerate as to meet me here in my humble abode, as opposed to a busy restaurant. I have had a long day, and a nice quiet meal at home sounds very appealing." I laughed at his mention of the Manor as 'humble'. He glanced at me. "Elizabeth, was something I said amusing?" He appeared to be enjoying putting me on the spot. I was not going to blow the business opportunity for my father, but I was _so_ not letting him embarrass me.

"I was laughing at your use of the word 'humble'. Humble, by definition, is something low in importance or quality. By the looks of it, your home is far from humble." _Nice save,_ I told myself. I glanced around myself to see Alfred chuckling under his breath as he brought in trays serving our dinners for the evening.

"Dinner is served," Bruce said proudly as we all pulled the cover off of our tray. We were served what appeared to be a smoked salmon on a fine china plate with a few scattered vegetables. My parents were served a fine white wine, and I was simply given a glass of water. I was okay with that. I am more of a greasy pizza kind of girl, but I will eat smoked salmon if presented to me. Once fairly engrossed in our meals, Bruce decided to take to the business side of the matter. "Harold," Bruce began. "I think it is time to discuss the meaning of our visit tonight. As much as I would enjoy a casual dinner between friends, there is more to it tonight. And, to make this as uncomplicated as possible, I think that you would make a great addition to Wayne Enterprises. Serving as counselor to the enterprise, we could both do each other a great deal of good. So what do you say?" My father stood and reached his hand toward Wayne.

"I agree wholeheartedly." They shook hands and my mother stood, motioning for me to stand as well.

"Thank you for the lovely evening, but we really must go now. I believe we all have an early day tomorrow," My mother said as she shook hands with Wayne as well. Bruce winked at me as we began our walk to the doorway.

"Ellie, always a pleasure," he spoke.

"Same to you," I responded sarcastically and waved goodbye to Alfred before leaving the large home. Back in our car my father and my mother both let out a dramatic sigh of relief. I wasn't sure what they had been so anxious about. It was pretty obvious to me that Wayne was going to make that deal. We drove home to the happy sounds of business success and pulled into our parking garage. I trudged up the stairs and, once back to my room, flopped down on my bed. I whipped out my cell phone and texted _Tim 3_. _Dinner's over. Bored and stuffed full of a dictator's meal. U? _

_ Off shift tonight. Want to catch a movie? I'll buy ;) _My heart sped up. He didn't have to Robin up tonight! It was only about 6:30. I saw no problem in seeing a movie with a great guy.

_What movie? _I asked him.

_ I buy, you pick. And I'll pick you up at seven. _It seemed like a surefire plan, so I let my mom in on the details and waited anxiously for seven to roll around. Finally it did, and there was a knock on my door by the hand of one Timothy Drake. I swung the door open with a goofy grin on my face.

"Timothy Jackson, it sure took you long enough!" He laughed and pulled my into a hello kiss.

"And Elizabeth Jane, you sure know how to make someone wish they hadn't. You look great. I'm a little bit jealous of Bruce Wayne right now, getting to spend the evening with you."

"Well, now you get to make up for lost time." I kissed him again and headed down to the parking garage. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen your car." I told him.

"That would be because I don't have one." I was about to question him when I saw him swing his leg over a big red motorcycle. I took a step back.

"Whoa, my parents will kill me if I get on one of those," I told him hesitantly.

"So don't tell them."

"Timothy, I'm wearing a skirt!" He sighed and shook his head.

"Get on the motorcycle. I promise nothing will happen to you." I was hesitant, but I did eventually get on the back of the bike. My arms were squeezing his stomach and he laughed at me. "Take this," he handed me a light blue helmet. I slid it over my head and saw him slide a red helmet over his own.

"You look kind of ridiculous," I pointed out to him.

"I look fantastic. And besides, safety before beauty, right?" I shook my head.

"I don't know where you're from, but here, on planet Earth, that is so not the rule."

"Just hold on," he scoffed and he sped out of the garage faster than anything I had ever been on. I was fairly terrified for my life at that moment. I could feel the wind pulling at me so I just held on tighter to the only trustworthy thing in this speedy world. We pulled to the side at Gotham City Bank. "I have to stop in and get some money from the ATM." I nodded and walked into the bank beside him. At first there was nothing special about the bank, just regular bank goings-on. We got in line for the ATM, hand in hand. It was almost our turn to go when gunfire rang out across the wide, marble room. Tim slipped an arm around my waist and shielded me from the direction of the gunfire.

"This is a robbery," a man with a clown's mask on yelled, shooting a few rounds into the ceiling. "Don't move, don't breathe, and sure as _hell _do not call for help." He pointed his gun at the man behind the counter, who was cowering under the ledge. "You, get all the money and put it into this bag." He threw a duffel onto the counter as some of his other goons were rounding up the pedestrians. Head Clown Face shot off another few rounds. "_Now!_" The man behind the counter rushed into action and began to frantically shove money into the duffel bag. Tim shoved me farther and farther behind him until I had to leer over his shoulder to get a glimpse at the clown-faced terrors. Not that it was a desirable thing to see. The clown holding the gun at the bank clerk looked at the group of on-lookers for a moment, but did a double take when he spotted Tim and me. I could have sworn that just then his clown mask smiled. That's when it hit me; it wasn't a clown mask at all. It was the Joker, and he was robbing the bank I was in. _And_ at that moment he seemed to take a keen interest in my relationship with Tim. He left his gun pointed at the man behind the counter, but he walked toward Tim, eyes ablaze with joy.

"Now, lookie here. It looks like we have ourselves a couple of lovebirds!" Tim made sure to place himself between me and the Joker. Joker motioned for someone to take over his place threatening the clerk and pointed his gun at Tim. He moved to cover the final space Joker could use to get to me. "Aw, why so _serious_?" Joker pushed the gun to Tim's temple and pushed him far enough away to see my face. "She's a pretty pony. I can see why you were trying to protect her from _me_." Joker motioned the gun to his scarred smiling face. Without notice, Joker grabbed my arm with full force and pulled me to his side. I think it took all of Tim's effort to keep from jerking be back to his side and making me a human rag doll. Joker stroked the gun down my cheek and laughed maniacally into my ear. He pulled a small silver knife out of his pocket. "I'd love to give you a makeover."

"You leave her _alone!_" Tim screamed as Joker slid the knife teasingly across my cheek. He stopped in his tracks and turned a wide smile to Tim.

"Well, now I'm very interested," Joker said with an immense chuckle. "Your little relationship has me intrigued. It's just so _cute_, I can't resist." My breath quickened. _What is he going to do to us? _I couldn't help but wonder. "This is why I love bank robberies," he said joyfully. "You never know what people might do."

"We've got the money, boss," a lackey said hesitantly.

"Well," Joker swung around, knife in hand, barely missing the other's face. "Aren't you just a kill-joy?" He glanced down at me and his dark eyes practically burned into my soul. "I could take you with me and toy with you for a while," he went into thought and came back out smiling. "But I think I like the other option better." _What other option? _He ran the soft side of the knife down my face for good measure, sending chills down my body, and then he ran off with the lackeys, money in tow. I slumped down to the ground, Tim coming up behind me to comfort me, and I listened to the sounds of the arriving police sirens.

After we had given our statements, Tim walked me back to my apartment building. I was in a sort of trance. I couldn't stop thinking about what Joker had said. '_I think I like the other option better._'

"What do you think he meant?" I asked Tim softly. I didn't have to say what I was talking about. He knew. "What do you think he's going to do to me?" I couldn't help my voice from sounding choked. He turned me to face him.

"I won't let him touch you. I will keep you safe. I promise." I stared into his eyes and let myself fall into them.

"Okay. I trust you, Timothy. I trust you, Robin." And I kissed him goodnight.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own _Batman. _It is owned by DC comics.  
**Hello! It has been a while! I'm sorry for the long wait here. So, I have gone back and fixed some of my errors in the plotline. I have also recently moved this to the comics section, so I hope there is no problem there. I have also fixed the problems in the earlier chapters. You may go back if you'd like, or just go along with the flow of things. On another note, who saw the new Batman movie? I did, and I loved it! If you haven't, go! The Dark Knight Rises is definitely worth it. So, on we go with this story of mine, currently going along with the swing of the comics! Let's do this! **

I hate children. Especially screaming children. The couple across the hall has two children, one, a boy about five years old, and the other a boy that just turned one. They usually weren't that bad. The boy at one year old was actually a sweetheart, and I had babysat him quite a few times. But his brother seemed to rub off on him, so the last few times he had the one year old pride stick shoved up his butt. And I get it, five year old boys can't help being incredibly irritating. But fifteen screaming five year olds in a small apartment in Gotham? That's worthy of a good hair-pulling. What kind of a parent has a birthday party for fifteen screamers in a small apartment? The noise made me want to have a psychotic break, so I'd have an excuse for barging in there with a gun to shut all of those little monsters up. But, no. I was stuck in here, with no music loud enough to grind out the noise. I think the worst part of all of it, was that they had hired a clown. Yes, a freaking _clown_ the week Joker escaped. That sounds smart.  
And something else that sound so_ smart _was trying to read a book while evil little rug rats run around outside your door eating pizza covered in glue. God, do I hate children. Okay, maybe not all children. But the ones that irk me. A small vibration interrupted me from my thoughts and pulled my attention to my cell phone. It was Tim.

_Are you okay? Just got off shift. _I laughed. Tim had been away from me all of twelve hours, and he was worried about the Joker getting to me. The thought of that gave me chills. 'The other option' was still a mystery to both of us.

_I'm alive, but I can't promise anything for my neighbors. _I hit the 'send' button with extreme force. I felt at least a little bit better sharing the pain with another. All I received in response was a question mark. _Get your vigilante butt over here and find out! _In a matter of minutes there was a soft knock on my door. I sighed and set my book down, deciding I was not going to finish anything today. 

"Look, I don't have any glue. And if I did, I sure wouldn't-" That's when I noticed it was not a rug rat at my door, but Tim, who looked about ready to kill some kindergarteners too.

"I understand now," he gasped while shoving his way into my apartment. "You should probably keep all of your sharp objects away from me for a while." I laughed and sat him down.

"You've got it," I said with a small chuckle. "Any news on the Joker?"

"You know, bank robberies, creepy unheard threats, the usual." I nodded.

"So there's been no other word on him? I mean no more action?"

"Batman has put me on your protection. I have been assigned to watch you and he can keep an eye out for the Joker." Tim looked around and then back on me. He smiled and pulled me into a kiss. My mind was cleared until he pulled away again. "This shouldn't be too hard." My doorbell rang. I gasped and got up to answer the door. I stopped to see a folded piece of white paper that had been shoved under the door. I grabbed it and held on to it to open the door. There was no one outside. I sighed, assuming it was just another little beast being annoying. "Who was it?" I shrugged.

"No one. Probably just another one of the little creatures of the glue. But this was under the door." I showed him the paper in my hand. I sat down on my folded over leg and opened it, shocked to see what was inside. In red lettering, it wrote: _Welcome to the other option. P.S. check the stairwell. You can never trust a red carpet. ~J _My hand flew up to my mouth and Timothy jumped to his feet.

"There was no one at the door?" I shook my head. "I guess I'll check the back stairwell." I grabbed his arm.

"No," I begged.

"Ellie, I have to!" I shook my head wildly.

"You don't understand," I pleaded. "I don't have a red carpet." He stopped.

"I have to, Ellie. Just stay here. I've got this." He glanced around the house first, before handing me a butcher knife. "Just in case."

"Thanks for the protection, Captain Robin," I muttered as he creeped along to the back staircase. I stood there anxiously when he came out of sight. Then my doorbell rang. I jumped. "Timothy!" I whisper/yelled. No one answered. I sighed and went against every bone in my body; I looked out the peephole. There was a… Clown in a big red wig. The wig mostly covered the hole and his face. Again, going against my instincts, I opened the door. "Look, the party's across the hall. Beat it." The Wig turned and faced me. _This clown is familiar… Oh crap. _The wig was ripped off to reveal long green curls.

"Elizabeth Jane Eisenhower," his voice sent chills down my spine. I slammed the door closed, only to be stopped by a foot in the way. I continued to push, my breath and my heart racing. When I knew it was a lost cause, I gave up on it and the Joker busted into the room. I held the knife up and sped into the back hallway, where Timothy should have been. He was on the ground, passed out. I reached down to check for a pulse, relieved when I found one. I jumped back up, watching the Joker come down the hall in a stalkish manner. I stumbled back, barely able to hear his steps over my own heartbeat. "Aw, sweetheart, why so _serious_?" That was when I ran out of wall. There was nowhere else for me to go. Ten feet… Five feet… Three feet… His breath was in my ear, a strong stench of apples. "I'm sure you would like to know what the other option was," he said in a soft, yet threatening voice. "In reality, it was very much like the first one. But this one has so many more _benefits. _And we'll get to spend a lot more time together. Maybe have some dinner. Get to know one another." I shuddered.

"Why do you like me so much?" He thought about that one.

"I think it's because you're so cute. I like your hair. It reminds me of a sunset. And you just reek of innocence, and it intrigues me. Now, keep in mind," he pulled the knife from my hand with force and pulled me from the wall, leading me to the door. "I'll probably kill you eventually. But I'm sure we'll have a great time together." He led me down the stairs, all thirteen floors, and into the lobby. He shot off a few rounds into the ceiling, frightening the on goers and the security members. "Hello, Gothamites. I would like you all to know I am taking Elizabeth Jane Eisenhower hostage, and if you try to stop me I will blow her face to porridge. Now, tell the world!" With that I felt a sharp pain in my neck, and the world went black.

I woke up to a place similar to the one in my dream. It was complete darkness, darker than anything I had ever felt before. There was dampness in the air, and the faint rush of water. There were ropes on my wrists and legs, but there was no gag in my mouth, so I thanked for small pleasures. There were no footsteps around, anywhere. I couldn't hear anyone around. But then I heard a faint buzzing sound. I couldn't see what it was. Then there was a bright light in my face, and I realized the sound was static. There was a television in here? On the screen was an image that scared her strait. It was Tim, as Robin, along with Batman, and Tim looked terrified. He looked on the verge of tears, which brought me to the verge of tears.

"Ellie?" I nodded.

"What's going on?"

"Elizabeth, I need you to stay calm," came the gruff voice of Batman.

"_What _is going on?"

And there came the maniacal laughter of a man broken.


	7. Chapter 7

Dang it, I still do not own _Batman_!

**I am SO sorry for the wait! Was anyone else wondering how Ellie is? I know I was! And, I admit, I did take a few quotes from The Dark Knight, but I hope you will forgive me. Also, apples just seemed like the kind of thing Joker would eat. Picture him biting one off of a knife. Well, I won't waste any more time with my author's note, so let's have our newest installment! **

I followed the sound of pure evil and found the Joker standing there beside me, laughing maniacally at my communication with the Dynamic Duo.

"What are you planning here, Joker?" Batman spat out toward the screen. There was just more laughing. He finished his laugh attack in a matter of seconds, immediately sobering.

"Batsy, I don't plan," he twirled a knife on his finger. "I just _do_." Joker reached out to grip my face. "And this seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Don't touch her!" Robin yelled out in a fit of passion. Joker stopped.

"Does Bird Boy have feelings for our little Miss Eisenhower?"

"Just leave the girl alone," Batman backed Robin up.

"Well, Sweet Ellie, you certainly get around." I felt the cool tip of the knife press to my throat and it sent chills down my body, but I was careful not to shiver anywhere in the direction of the knife.

"What the hell is going on?" I yelled, gazing out hopefully at the screen, as if that would help me now. Joker stroked my face lovingly with the knife.

"That's right, of course you wouldn't remember. I drugged you up and took you to my lair." I stared out in shock. "And believe me, because just this once, I'm not _joking_." I shuddered. The last thing I remember was the Joker bursting through my doorway, and myself running away crazily. Most of the stuff after that was a large blur.

"So, what do you want with me?"

He gestured toward himself with the knife. "That's for me to know," he stabbed the knife in Batman's direction, "And you to find out."

"Then why the video feed?"

"I just thought you would like to see our beautiful bounty. And that confused look on her face when she woke up was _priceless_! So, until next time," and he hit a button on a remote that turned the screen black again. The room returned to blackness, and that horrid laughter rang out once more. "Alone at last…"

I felt the beads of sweat drip down my face, terrified of what was to come. I was sitting in the back of a van, driving to complete our mission. When we stopped, Joker pushed me out with a reminder that he was watching, and I walked into East Gotham Bank. Everyone gasped when they saw me, and silent tears slipped out of my eyes. The desk clerk put his hands up and begged me to tell him what I wanted, for the sake of his family.

"The Joker wants all of your money," I spoke in between tears.

"Please, just let us go. Do not push the trigger," came the cries of a random worker. Something inside of me snapped. I turned toward her with hate in my voice.

"Do you think _I _have the trigger? I am a good person, just trying to get past the want-to-be gang threats against my life, and Joker comes along with his drugs and his bomb vests and you seriously think I have any control whatsoever left on what happens in my life? I don't want to die any more than you do, so just put the money in a bag so we can all get out of here without our entrails on the wall!" The clerk obeyed me and put as much money as he could fit into a duffel bag he had in the back. "Thanks," I mumbled. "Where's freaking Batman when you need a savior?" I walked outside, duffel in tow, to face about twenty SWAT members with guns trained on my face.

"Drop the money and disarm your bomb," they shouted into their bullhorns.

"Don't look at the girl," came Joker's voice through a loudspeaker we couldn't see. "She's just wearing the explosives. And she's my hostage. And if you want to live, I suggest you put your guns down, or else every last one of you is mush on the road signs." This triggered a reaction, and they all placed their weapons down slowly. I let out a loud grunt and made my way out of eyesight, whispering 'Sorry' in as many ears as possible. When I was out of eyeshot I sighed deeply, before I was pulled into a moving van. My feet were dragged off the pavement and I hit the side of the door, before I was in the safety of the back. I gasped and began swinging before I could even see again.

"What the hell is your problem? Those explosives could have gone off!" Joker grabbed my arms and secured me down, all the while lighting up the vehicle with his malicious laughter.

"Sweetheart, any old joker can attach a couple wires to a vest and call it a bomb. But, see, this one was missing the key ingredient." He reached down and opened the flap where the explosives were kept. My eyes widened to find that there was nothing there.

"You freaking idiot! Are you telling me that I was not hooked up to a bomb that entire time?" More laughter.

"Yes." I struggled and squirmed to get out of his grasp, but he simply held on tighter, coming in close to my face, the scent of apples vibrating over my entire form. "I wouldn't risk my prized pony's life."

"I am not a show horse!"

"No," he brushed my hair to the side. "You're a show dog, and I just need to keep yanking your leash to make you carry your head high." I hate to admit it, but I am pretty sure I was subject to an angry nostril flare just then. "Like it or not, you're mine now. From now until the day you die. And if Super-Bat and Baby-Bird come a-calling, I'll just have to keep my word." He released me and began to remove my vest.

"I won't let you, you know," I glared at him viciously.

"Elizabeth, you don't have a choice." I knew that, but I refused to let him know that.

"Why? I mean, why do you care if I live or die or escape?" Joker thought about that one.

"Batsy is a person of sacrifice. He will do whatever it takes to save his precious Gotham. And he seemed to care about you, more than he would care for an average citizen. So maybe you are important in his life or maybe your little lover boy at the bank has quite an influence on the local vigilantes, but, you see, I just want to know how far he'll go." He shrugged and made his best innocent expression. "It really is a simple pleasure." He slid the vest off of my shoulders. "And you're simply too pretty to let go." With that he jumped to the front of the van and pushed the driver into the back. "I'm driving," and then we took a dramatic turn down a brick alley. I was thrown into the lap of the former driver, and he looked a little too happy about it.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll make sure you don't fall." He reached his arms in my direction, but with a single sweep of my arm, he was knocked back into the wall. I found a wrench lying askew on the floor and I held it up to protect myself.

"Make one more move, and I will not hesitate to plunge this into your face." He glanced in the Joker's direction. "Oh, don't look at your boss to save you. I'm pretty sure it was all he had not to shoot you and push you out the door when he wanted to drive. Face reality. Your life means absolutely nothing to him. At least, a lot less than mine does. One move is all it takes," I shoved the wrench in a warning fashion, "and you're a goner." He retreated and the cackling laugh of the Joker filled the van once more.

"Girl, you have spunk!" He shook his head and made another sharp turn, myself giving another warning to Captain Grabby. "And you wonder why I keep you around…" I shook my head and relaxed against the wall until we returned to headquarters.

I was given my own room, which, honestly, felt more like a prison cell. But at least in prison you were given three square meals a day. In here I was lucky to get two. It seemed like he was anticipating that I feel forgotten. I don't think he wanted me to feel like I was of import to his anything, which was strange, because he told me himself that I was. I also had a TV, which I guess is a step up from prison. I usually had it trained on the news, to see how close anyone was to finding me. No one got close. Days passed, and I was not dragged into any more jobs, not tortured, and hardly fed. I made my meals last when I got them. I knew I was losing weight, which was probably one of the only good things to come of this entire endeavor. Not that I was overweight, but I knew I could stand to lose a couple. Eventually, I had to resort to pacing in my 'cell' to get any form of exercise at all. One day I found myself singing to my guards.

"I know you're there… I can hear you… It's only fair… That you can hear me too… I'm really bored… And kind of thirsty… Take me outside… And I'll stop singing…" All I got in return was a lot of snide laughter. And who is above a few panic attacks? Definitely not me.

"I am _Elizabeth Jane Eisenhower! _I demand to be let out of this room! I am going crazy from lack of exercise and there is nothing for me to read so I can constantly feel my brain melting, not to mention, there is a toilet in the middle of my room! You know who has toilets in their rooms? Prisoners! I am not in Jail, I am just a hostage! And I'm pretty sure I hold the record for longest hostage ever taken. Just let me out!" It was at this point I began to bang on the door. "All I want is to go run a few laps on a track and go to a restaurant with actual people and read a few books and bask in the sunshine!" I am also pretty sure I won an award for longest run-on sentence. "Just give me these four things and I promise I will be the most cooperative hostage you have ever even heard of!" No response. I banged on the door even harder and began to wail. "I haven't taken a shower in four days…" Tears sprang from my eyes and I curled up on the floor to cry. "I don't even have any deodorant! I'm stinky and greasy and even if Tim did rescue me he would be repulsed by my odor." The tears kept coming and coming, and if you kept a clock on it, I probably would have cried for about two hours.

Eventually I got myself up and stumbled back to my bed, where I curled up again in the corner and began to channel surf for my crying remedy- cartoons. Cartoons bring me back to a time where life was simple and I was not being held hostage by a killer clown. My breathing began to slow and soon enough I was no longer crying anymore. But I was absolutely starving. I had to force down the hunger in my stomach and admit defeat. As much as I hated it, I was the Joker's now. From now until the day I die.

Almost a week had passed before Joker made any more contact with me. I think it was his plan to send me stark-raving mad from loneliness. It worked. I was loosing hope of ever seeing my parents or Tim again. No one had rescued me yet, and the chances of saving someone from a kidnapper drop dramatically after the first forty-eight hours. And it had been one-hundred and sixty-eight. I had been lying on my bed, doing absolutely nothing, when Joker barged in and grabbed me.

"Come on Ellie, it's time for the final stunt." I had no time to react when I was dragged out and into a helicopter, which immediately flew up and out of a hatch in the ceiling. Joker began to attach a bunch of strings and wires to a harness that had been put on me.

"What are you doing?"

"Wait and see, Ellie. All in good time." I was not satisfied with this answer, but I did not push any harder.

"What am I going to have to do?" He shook his head.

"All you have to do is _hang _out and wait for my signal." He chuckled at himself.

"What do I do when I get your signal?"

"Oh, trust me, you'll know." There came more laughter, and no one would answer any more of my questions. I just sighed and sat back, accepting my fate. We flew until I saw Gotham, and then we got extra close to a building with a lot of gargoyles. One of the henchmen reached out and attached a string to the gargoyle and began to fly away, door open.

"One of you guys might want to close that," but I was interrupted when I felt myself get pulled toward the open door. "What is going on? Hey, somebody help me!" But no one did. Right before I fell straight out of the helicopter, I saw a bomb also strapped to the gargoyle. Just my luck.

"Just don't struggle and you'll be fine," I heard on my way falling down toward the pavement. At least, it seemed that way, until I was stopped by the rope attaching me to the gargoyle. I gave a loud huff and dangled there, beginning to hyperventilate. This was one of my worst nightmares! I am absolutely terrified of heights! Then I heard Joker over the loudspeaker again.

"Above you'll see Elizabeth Eisenhower, dangling from a gargoyle, where there is also a bomb. The bomb is set to detonate in two hours. If she is still up there, she is dead. And so is the poor imbecile that is under the falling debris. You might want to solve that little problem." And with that, the helicopter flew away. _I don't see how this is better than that first option, _I thought to myself. From below I heard the screams and saw the citizens pointing their fingers, when I was the one whose arms were falling asleep here! And, last time I checked, they weren't dangling from a thirty story building either. My breathing quickened and I began to realize just how much danger I was in.

"Oh my God," I gasped to myself. Tears began to fall desperately down my face, and all I could do was stare absently at the people staring back at me. There was nothing I could do at all; no way I could possibly help myself. I was totally helpless, and I hated it. I wondered if my tears hit the people below me, if they could feel fear as strongly as I was feeling it.

In about a half hour the police arrived, all gathered under me like they were worshipping a goddess. I glanced away from the ruckus underneath me and looked through my tears to the view of Gotham I was given at this height. In the distance I saw what appeared to be a group of clowns gathered around a convenience store. Another group of clowns emerged from another store down the street. I finally understood Joker's motives. I was the distraction. He was going to distract the city with me, and while everyone is watching me, or waiting for the cops that are watching me, Joker can sneak into any store he wants. Well, almost any store. It was mass robbery. I was his pawn, only this time, he was not bluffing about the bomb. I could tell from the way he had spoken to me. And I had also conveniently caught a glimpse of actual explosives.

As soon as all of his goons were together again, they began to scatter once more. There was a blur of one person left, an explosion, and then they all rode off. The explosion had been a firework Joker had set off. The firework had blown into a bright red image of a man with a Joker-like sneer tipping his hat at me. This was Joker's sign. He was telling me that he was done with me. With that, all the hope seemed to drip from my body along with my tears.


	8. Chapter 8

Five, six, seven, eight, who do we appreciate? The creators of _Batman, _who are not me!

**Hello! I know it has been longer than usual, but I had another story to finish. Now that that is pretty much wrapped up, I should have more time for this. But, I am going on vacation again today, celebrating the end of summer, so this is a quick update before I hit the road! Please review! Reviewers complete me! **

"Do not panic. We will get you down before the bomb goes off," various police officers called up to me, via loudspeaker. I shook my head. No they won't. I'm going to die. The Joker was done with me. I was his from then until the day I die, and if I'm no longer his, this must be the day I die. I wasn't dangling head first, but the rope was attached to the vest around my waist, so I was dangling more horizontal than vertical. That was fine. I had a better view of Gotham from here. There was no denying it was a jacked up town, but there was also no denying it was beautiful. My tears had dried a while ago. I knew there was no use for crying. If I was going to die, I would die and there was really nothing I could do about it. "Do not worry. We'll have a helicopter here in less than an hour." I strained my neck to see the bomb, or, more importantly, the clock. There were forty minutes left on the clock. I was not going to be saved. I had accepted my death long ago; I was more bored than scared. Anxious. Just wishing that my time would come already.

I glanced at the clock again. Thirty minutes. People kept gathering underneath me. Why would you want to stand under the girl that is about to be blown to kingdom come?

"There's not much longer for the chopper; don't worry." Oh, I stopped worrying long ago. I can promise, when I'm about to die, the arrival of the chopper is the last thing on my mind. Twenty five minutes. The streets were absolutely clogged by idiots with death wishes. I couldn't for the life of me begin to understand it. Well, my life didn't depend on idiots; just one clown. "Ms. Eisenhower, your mother is here. She would like to speak with you." I saw my mother snatch to loudspeaker from the hands of the lieutenant. Actually, I saw on the news while I was a captive, its Commissioner now. Good for him.

"Ellie, honey?" Ten minutes. "Ellie, baby, I just want to tell you how much I love you. I can't possibly imagine what you've been through, or what you're going through now, but, please, try to keep hope. Stay hoping for me, for your father. For Timothy. You know, while you were gone, he came over every night. He would come and see how far they've gotten in the investigation, as if he couldn't find out for himself, and tell us over and over how sorry he was he couldn't save you. That boy cares about you. Don't give up. Please. We need you." She gave the horn back and blew me a kiss, though I could barely see. I don't know who started it, but all of a sudden, the entire crowd erupted, yelling my name.

"Ellie! Ellie!" They all shouted, and I didn't know what to think. I had spent this entire time dwelling on the fact that I couldn't be saved, and to have all of these perfect strangers rooting for me to survive, it was amazing. I could feel my broken hopes slowly mending themselves back together, my faith in the population of Gotham restoring after all of those harsh feelings when they couldn't rescue me from the Joker. While I was in my cell I had mentally cursed every one of those people who had not a single clue as to where I was or how to save me, and with the repetition of two syllables and a heartwarming fist pump, I believed in the city once again.

"Thank you," I whispered, imagining the entire city holding their hearts up to me. "Thank you all so much." I said again, this time louder. "Mom!" I called down, physically reaching down to her, as if she could just reach up and take my hands. I couldn't be sure, but I think my mother looked up at me expectantly. In the distance I also saw the helicopter coming closer and closer to the tower. _Maybe I will be saved,_ I thought. "Mom, I love-"

_Boom. _

The explosion was unexpected. My ears rang and before I knew what was happening, I was falling. I was falling fast, and I could see the pavement where I would land. I saw the debris falling along beside me, too. The world around me seemed to go in slow motion, and the world below me seemingly stopped all together. No one moved a muscle; the chanting was put at bay. And I was falling from the sky. It was worse to go this way, I thought. I would rather have gone when I was ready, instead of when I was ready to be saved. But I guess this would make the Joker squeal with glee. My world coming to an end right when I thought it would not. It was a matter of feet before I hit the pavement, I knew it. But this whole process was taking longer than I had anticipated. Then, to the side, I saw Robin, my Timothy, flying down too. _Had he jumped? _But soon his arms were around me, and I was pleased to have someone to go with me. But before we were at the pavement, I stopped falling down and began flying sideways. The gravel flew by beneath my feet, the wind blowing pleasantly through my hair. That's when I figured it out. He wasn't falling. He was using a grappling gun. And I was saved, after all.

I wrapped my arms around the boy, holding onto something solid for the first time in hours. And then we stopped. The wind stopped blowing and we stopped flying and Tim's feet were on solid ground again. I was cautious about letting go of him, of stepping back onto ground, as if it were a trick and if I stepped down I would fall again.

"It's okay," Tim told me as he let go of my arms. I stepped down carefully, one foot at a time. Tim took my hand and whispered in my ear.

"I'll see you later, Ellie." And with that, he flew off again. His leaving left me teetering off balance, and I fell to the ground. It was then that the rest of Gotham seemed to realize it was okay to move again, and they all came rushing over to me, nearly trampling me trying to find me. My mother wrapped me in her arms and Commissioner Gordon came over with a blanket and a team of rookies. Gordon gently placed the blanket around my shoulders and my mother continued to squeeze me like I would run away as soon as she let go. To be honest, it was getting a little hard to breathe. But hard to breathe in the best possible way. I was almost ambushed by a team of reporters, but the rookies and a nicely placed gate put a halt to all of that. Gordon and my mom escorted me to an ambulance waiting just beyond the caution tape, and I was seated on the back where a team of medics went to work on me. It was then that I realized I was shaking. Not just my hands quivering, but my entire body was quaking. I wasn't sure if it was adrenaline or fear or just exhaustion (probably a mix of the three), but they could barely make sure I was okay. I couldn't be positive what they were doing, everyone around me was just passing by in an unnoticed blur, but all I heard was a lot of 'Can you do this?' and 'How does this feel?' To which I did not answer.

"Ellie, you have to answer them," my mother told me, but I did not listen to her either. Her words just sounded like a high pitched ring to me.

"She's not speaking," one of the paramedics responded. Thanks, Captain Obvious. I couldn't tell. "She's probably in shock. If she won't respond to us here we have to take her to the hospital." My mom nodded they moved me to a cot at the back, where my mom sat beside and held my hand.

"Don't be scared, Ellie Jane," she purred beside me. "You're just in shock. You're going to be fine." Before the doors could be closed, a hand stopped them, and revealed Commissioner Gordon.

"I'd like to ride along too," Gordon spoke quietly. "Just to ask some questions and be sure she's okay." My mother nodded. Gordon sat down beside me and gazed my way meaningfully.

"I've been seeing a lot of you lately," he said with a chuckle. "How are you doing?" I still couldn't hear. My ears were just ringing and voices sounded like a loud horn I wanted to tune out. My ears felt heavy, too, and full of cotton. I shook my head and covered my ears. When Gordon looked confused, a paramedic came up to explain.

"She was near the explosion when it occurred. Her ears will feel cottony for a while. It is perfectly normal." But it's not like I could really make out her voice. "It should wear off by the time we get to the hospital." He nodded and postponed questions until I could hear again. I took this time to focus on myself, and I realized the pounding headache and the pain in my sides. I knew my adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain began to spread through my body. Which was why, when my mother pulled me into one last reassuring hug, I let out an ear-piercing scream.

**I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I'm out of time. I promise I will update as soon as I possibly can, so please do me the biggest favor ever and REVIEW! **


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own _Batman_!

**I feel so bad about the wait! I got sucked up into school… And, oh! School's already back! Gross, right? Now, I didn't get much love for that last chapter, but I know you guys can spare some for me now, right? Good. **

I hate hospitals. They are bland, covered in germs, and most of all, boring. I was sitting on a table in a hospital gown that I was convinced my butt would be hanging out of the second I got up. I had just gotten x-rays taken, and I could still feel the weight of the lead hanging onto my battered and bruised body. I knew my parents would want to see me as soon as I came out, but I wasn't as sure I wanted to see them. I knew it would be cruel to request time alone, I mean, I'd been alone all week. But I just wasn't in the mood for all their dramatics. But still, I sat there on the edge of the table in just a hospital gown, clutching at my side that ached like no other and awaited the parade of emotions that would come bursting through my door at any moment. I kicked my legs tiredly against the side of the table. All I really wanted was to drink some water and go to sleep. Whoa, now that I thought about it, I was _really _thirsty. My lips were cracked and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. _I just want to get out of here and pretend this whole Joker fiasco never happened. _ But, that would not happen. And I knew it.

It was then that my parents came into the room, but it wasn't as dramatic as I had assumed. They quietly opened and closed the door and stepped up to my side, my mother taking my hand and my father patting my shoulder reassuringly. _Okay, what's going on here? My parents are acting… _normal _for a change! _This was all too weird. I guess it was to be expected. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, my mom had hugged me, and squeezed what I was sure was a broken rib, and I had screamed to the best of my abilities. She quickly backed off, and Gordon looked sufficiently spooked. I bet he wished he could be anywhere else. After I screamed, all of the pain from my body seemed to pile up and I began to cry. The paramedic came to check my side and saw a large, purple bruise that was developing.

"It looks like a broken rib," the medic confirmed. "But we'll have to have her x-rayed to be positive." My mom began to stroke my face, carefully staying away from the rib. "You should be careful. If we missed the rib, there's no telling what else we might have missed as well." Gordon's look turned to pity as my sobs filled the vehicle. I bet he wished he had waited to drive himself to the hospital instead. But he said nothing, his stunning silence almost as loud as my tears. When we arrived at the hospital, his comfortable silence remained, and it seemed vast and all-knowing. No wonder he was the commissioner.

The doctor walked back into the room, clipboard in hand, and smiled softly at my small, broken family.

"Are you guys ready for the prognosis?" We all nodded, just wanting to get it over with. "Alright," he said, pointing at some of my x-rays on a board in front of me. "Well, you fractured three of your ribs. That was most likely from the yank of the harness as you were, uh, well, dangling, for lack of a better term. You also appear to be dehydrated, now don't panic, it's not at all fatal, yet, but you need to be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day for the next few days or else it could cause some serious problems. You also have a lot of bruising along your sides, as if you had made extreme contact with a hard object. Repeatedly." My mind flashed to the times Joker pulled me into his moving van, and the times I had thrown myself at the door in attempted escape. There were so many ways I could have hurt myself it hurt my head to try to think of all of them. "Other than that, there are some minor fragments we need to remove," he ran his finger along some black blobs on my x-ray, "all along your side. They look like they came from the bomb. Don't worry, it's a short procedure and it should take less than an hour. If you're ready, we can prep you for surgery now, and maybe even have you out of here by nightfall." I nodded. It sounded like relatively good news. My parents nodded, too. The doctor ushered them out of the room and a group of nurses with fake smiles came in to check my sides and drug me up. I don't like drugs, either. I squirmed as the needle pinched my skin, trying to think about anything but that. Sadly, where my mind led me was not the happiest of places, either, so I went back to the needle, and back to the pain. Soon enough the injection was over, and I felt okay again. They did some more nurse-like things I couldn't quite identify, and then I was off, being wheeled down the hallway to my awaiting procedure.

As I flew down the halls, people passed by me in a strange blur. And I felt… happier. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I wasn't about to fight it. A tall man I couldn't quite make out the face of came over and gripped my hand as I passed quickly by.

"Hey, Ellie. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner." _Whose voice was that? _

"You know who you remind me of?" I slurred up at the man. "You remind me of my boyfriend, Timothy. He is just the sweetest thing. Very inquisitive, though. It's just like him to see a bad guy walking down the street with a strange device and go, 'I wonder what that thing does...'" I giggled. "Device. It's such a funny word." The man chuckled.

"Yeah, Elle, that does sound like me." The nurse put a soft hand on the man's shoulder. _That must be her boyfriend, _I thought. _Are all guys just like Tim? _

"I'm sorry sir," she said gently. "You are going to have to go back to the waiting room. You aren't permitted beyond this point."

"Sir," I giggled again. "Who calls their boyfriend 'sir'? You know, I'm going to start doing that. Timothy, sir, could you please go back to the waiting room?" My giggles grew into cackles and before I knew it, my world was grey and fuzzy. All I could do was hear little voices from the back of my mind.

"She's fine, Bruce," I could have sworn I heard one say. "Just a little high."

Later I would discover that I had, in fact, been awake for my surgery. I had harassed the nurses to the point where one had to hold me down and the doctor had to make the incisions. I had also refused to go out to the car after I was released unless I was carried, and had been carried by a gracious Tim. But, I didn't remember any of it. What I did remember was waking up on my couch in searing pain, and sweating like a pig.

"It's all right Ellie," a soothing male voice said from behind me. "You're safe now." I turned sharply, immediately regretting that decision. My ribs shot a new pain through my body and tears sprung to my eyes. I reached out in any direction for something to hold onto, anything to stop the pain. I found an even bigger hand, belonging to Bruce Wayne, of all people. Tim shot up and ran for my medicine, and I squeezed Wayne's hand so tight I thought he would break. But he didn't, of course. He stood there and took it, with a worried look in his eyes.

Tim returned with the meds I held out my hand to take them, grateful for Tim's presence. But, I wondered, where were my parents? Aren't they the ones who are supposed to be taking care of me? And why was Bruce Wayne here? The pain didn't lessen immediately after the pills were down, but I could relax, knowing that all I could do was done. I let go of Bruce's hand and smiled at him apologetically, before lying back down on the couch.

"Hello, Timothy," I said, making a weak attempt at breaking the tension that seemed to have formed over the room.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," he chuckled in response. "I'm glad to see you're awake." I tried to laugh with him, but it visibly hurt, so Tim retained his laughter as well.

"Me too," I responded truthfully. "I was a little skeptical for a while there." He nodded soberly. "Not that I'm not grateful," I began cautiously, "but why are you two here?" The two men exchanged a knowing look.

"Your parents had somewhere they needed to be," Tim explained. "It was unavoidable. So I volunteered. And Bruce stopped by to see how you were doing after they left." I nodded.

"Well, thanks for volunteering. And, Bruce, as you can see, I'm fine."

"Yeah, I can see that," he responded sarcastically when I winced once more in pain. "Look," he proposed, "you are obviously not going anywhere any time soon, and I would love to help, so how about you let me stay here for a while, just to, you know, have an adult running the joint." When I looked skeptical he added, "I'm sure it would make your parents more comfortable." And I sullenly agreed.

After that, I had an eventful day of lounging on the couch and watching television. I had been instructed to stay away from the news channels, but my curiosity got the better of me and I found myself flipping to the local news. And the city news. And the state news. It seemed everything was on me- my captivity by the Joker, my 'heroic' escape plan, apparently to get myself hung from a twenty story building, and my hospital records! How could they get those? When I brought this to Bruce's attention, first I was scolded for disobeying orders (he's a real stickler for respect), and then he explained to me that reporters have this annoying way of getting whatever they want, however they want and never getting in trouble for it. How bothersome! Were any of us safe?

My day concluded with a bowl of hot, delivered soup from my favorite Italian joint down the block. Bruce paid, of course. Tim sat there on the couch beside me and held the bowl for me, claiming it was too hard for me to do it myself. Please. I'd been holding my own bowl since I was what, seven?

And then the doorbell rang. And it sent shivers down my spine.

**Okay! I know it's kind of short, but I was running low on time and creative juices.** **Please do me the hugest favor ever and REVIEW? **


	10. Chapter 10

If I owned _Batman_, he would be at my house, by my side, fanning me with palm leaves and defending my honor, not dancing across my television screen.

**Aloha! I know it's been like two weeks, so thanks for your patience! Okay, not much to say here, so, let's get to it!**

It wasn't as much who was behind the door, as it was the memory of the last time the doorbell rang. I wasn't sure who was behind it, but I didn't really want to find out. Wayne rose and walked to the door, not a worry apparent on his expression. As he reached to open the door, panic arose in my heart.

"Stop!" I shouted, and leapt up into a defensive position. Pain immediately shot through my body, but I didn't really care at the moment. Bruce looked back on me, startled. Tim rushed to my side, ushering me back into a restful stance, but I pushed him aside, leaving him to only to stand worryingly behind me. My eyes were on Bruce as he gave me one last glance and swung the door open. I held my breath to see who was behind the door.

"Ellie?" I didn't expect to see who was behind the door. I expected the Joker, my parents, maybe even Batman himself, though I was almost certain he was in the room with me. But this was a total shock.

Her name was Susannah Andrews, and I hadn't seen her in about a year. We were best friends in middle school, and when high school rolled around, we got into a little spat. Let's just say, making out with the guy your best friend likes is a total no, even if you didn't know she liked him, and you didn't even want to kiss him in the first place, but he kissed you. Anyway, she went to a different school out of resentment for me (a private school, fancy that), and we haven't spoken since.

"Susie?" I lurched up again, this time only to be held down by Tim, worried for my well being. Which was totally fine, I was sure. I was only dehydrated with extreme bruising and broken ribs. Excuse me, I mean fractured ribs. Susannah sauntered in, somewhat skeptically, and I noticed she was holding a bouquet of flowers. "What are you doing here?" I blurted, admittedly, a bit bluntly. "Not that I'm not happy to see you," I add quickly, "but it's just… such a surprise. I mean, it's been, what, a year? A year without any form of communication?" She nodded shyly, her dark brown waves falling over her shoulders.

"I know it's been a really long time," she began, "but I felt really bad about never talking to you. I mean, I _didn't_ feel bad about it, after our little," she paused, glancing at Tim and then back at me, "_incident._" I was grateful she decided to spare Tim the details, because it wasn't exactly an admirable time in either of our lives. "But a few months after that, and starting my new school, I missed you. I haven't found a friend like you since then. And now, seeing you on the news like that, I mean, the Joker? That must have been awful, and, with all of the hurtful things I've wished upon you, I would have never even considered the Joker to be a suitable punishment for anyone. And I can't help feeling like this is all my fault… So please…" Susannah didn't finish her sentence, because tears started falling down her face, as well as mine, and before I knew it, we were holding hands and laughing like no time had passed at all. When we went in for a hug, Tim made a point of stopping us, and reminding me of my ribs. I nodded, thankful to have him around, and resided to holding hands and reminiscing. When all of the tears were out of our systems, I smiled at the flowers in her hands.

"The flowers are pretty," I told her with a warm smile. "Lilies and carnations, just what I like. You remembered." She nodded heartily.

"After this week, watching the news every night, praying they would find you, I have remembered all of the miscellaneous facts I could about you, promising to make it up to you when you were recovered. Because I wouldn't let myself think you wouldn't." Although I expected her to tear up again with this statement, she did not, sitting tall with all of her 'Private School Pride and Intelligence' (I swear, it was on the pamphlet. I looked it up). "So, now it's your turn. What was it like?" I had to think about this. What did I really want to say? Noticing my hesitation, she regretted her statement.

"If you don't want to tell me, I mean, you don't have to," she assured me, not wanting to frighten me into a shell. I shook my head.

"No, no. It's fine. I just," I had to choose my words carefully. "I don't know where to start." She understood. Since Tim and Bruce momentarily left the room, to give us a moment, I felt a little more comfortable saying these things.

"It was lonely," I began. "Loneliness is really the first emotion that comes to mind. I was alone in my cell for the majority of the time. Fear, too. I never knew what was going to happen. The Joker is unpredictable. I just- I just didn't think I was ever going to make it home again. And now that I have, it feels like a dream. The only bad part is that I can't quite figure out which part is a dream." I laughed at myself. She nodded. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. She got that.

"So, what's on TV?" Susannah reached over for the remote, clicking away my pain.

**So, short chapter there. Sorry, guys. And, I think I'm going to end this soon… So, words, ideas, theories, and I'll love you! Not that I don't already;). **


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own _Batman. _Fancy that.

**Hello guys! I hope all of you kept safe during Hurricane Sandy! It was a big one, and pretty scary. Although I know the ultimate damage was big, the most I got here was a week of rainy, windy, Sandy seepage. Not much happens where I live. But, please review or message and let me know if all of you are safe! Thank you!**

"Is your friend gone?" Bruce asked as he came back into the room. I nodded.

"I'm not sure 'friend' is the correct term, but yes. She left a little while ago." Tim was standing next to me, gently re-wrapping my ribs.

"What's going on here?" Bruce asked, with a smug smile on his face.

"Well, you see, I got into a boxing match with a polar bear, and needed Tim here to fix my bandages afterword," I responded sarcastically.

"Well, you don't look so good. Did you win?"

"Oh," I laughed. "You should see the bear." He nodded pleasantly.

"Well, it's about 7:30. Your parents should be home any minute, so I'm heading out. I'm having a get-together celebrating your father's switching from county legal secretary to my company's personal lawyer, and I expect to see you there." It was more of a question than a statement, and this time I was looking forward to going.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." We gave a mutual wave and he was gone out my front door. Timothy finished up my sides and I sat back down on his lap, confining him to the couch with me.

"I should probably be going, too, you know," he told me, unmoving.

"No you shouldn't," I responded. "You can't leave me, Timmy. Not now. Not to him. Because you know he's out there still." I didn't have to clarify that I was talking about Joker.

"Ellie, someone has to catch him. Make sure he doesn't get away with doing this to you! Please, Ellie let me be that person. Let me catch the Joker, for you! For your sake!" But I just shook my head, and then laid it on his shoulder. With a knowing sigh, he stroked my hair until I fell asleep. And although I couldn't see him, I felt him leave me in the middle of the night, just like I knew he would. I knew he had to fight the Joker for me.

The next morning I awoke to the smell of sizzling bacon, and the soft whisper of my parents. I got up slowly, just hoping the pain drugs hadn't lost their effect. Of course, they had, and it sent me up on my feet, hunting for a small yellow bottle.

"Are you looking for this?" My mother called, shaking the bottle lightly from the stove. I sighed in relief.

"How could you tell?"

"I could smell it. Like a mama lion." Not sure how correct her facts were, I just laughed and nodded, taking a seat on the barstool. "It could also have something to do with the fact that you were mumbling, 'Drugs, drugs, where are my freaking pain drugs?' under your breath."

"That makes sense. So what's with breakfast? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"What makes you think that?" This time it was my father, squeezing an orange with his fancy new juice maker.

"I can smell it," I told them. "Like a baby lion." They just looked at me. "It could also have something to do with the fact that you have made me dinner a total of thrice," I paused, congratulating myself in the use of the word, before continuing, "all because you had to tell me something. So do tell." They looked between each other, before coming to a silent decision.

"Two things," she told me. "First, it was on the news this morning that Batman and the undead Robin captured the Joker last night!" I was shocked, but I stood my ground. "The second is that we have decided…" Mom paused for dramatic effect.

"Decided what?" I was tired of waiting.

"We have decided to throw you a welcome home party!"

"When did you decide this?" I couldn't help but ask, thinking that they hadn't really had all that much time to pull this thing together.

"Well, it was a collective thought the whole time you were gone," she told me, with an innocent look on her face. "We wanted to make you feel at home when the police finally got to you."

"And what better way to make you feel at home, than a welcome home party?" My dad asked, his face lighting up as well.

"Okay," I said slowly, my brain turning to digest this. My parents had been doing things like this the entirety of my life. I get a paper cut; they make it the update in their business news letters. I don't even want to go over what my mom did when I finally started my 'big change'. It was terrifying. "Fine, whatever. But when is it?"

"Tonight!" They shouted out simultaneously.

"_Excuse me?" _

"Yes!" They were both so excited about this, it was making me crazy. It hurt to walk, what makes them think I want to attend their crazy, hardly thought through 'welcome home party'? "We rented out the biggest ballroom in the Maryweather, and we are inviting absolutely _everyone._ It's going to be so glamorous!" The Maryweather was a giant skyscraper slash hotel, and everyone wants to throw everything there. Weddings, concerts, and apparently welcome home parties.

"How am I supposed to find a dress on such short notice?" I gasped, saying the first problem I could think of. "Not only is it impossible to find a nice dress in one day, but I have to find a nice dress that can conceal my rib wrappings!" My mother shook her head at me.

"I thought about that, dear. And don't worry. I've already gotten that all figured out."

"What do you mean?" I was led down the hall into my bedroom, and she opened my closet for me.

"While you were away, I did some panic shopping. I thought about everything that might be wrong with you, and bought a gown for every separate turnout." I wasn't sure whether this was sweet or weird, so I just went with sweet. When in doubt, just go with it.

"Mom, there are no dresses here. I think I would have noticed a bunch of new dresses taking over my closet." With a smug smile on her face, she simply pushed aside my already hanging things, and tapped on the wall. There was a hollow sound where her fist hit, and with a small push, the wall swung open to reveal a secret chamber of ball gowns. It was totally Hannah Montana. I gaped in awe, and was pushed inside the secret room gently. First, I'd like to point out that there was a gown of every color. Pink, purple, black, white, orange, you name it and it was there. There was also a gown for every part of the body one might favor. There was one sleeve on, one sleeve off, two long sleeves and a turtle neck, to be paired with a mega-short skirt. Tight around the waist, but poofy at the bottom was one of my least favorites. And then I saw it.

It was a light silver grey, and it was the kind of dress that would be long, flowy and strait, and hang loosely off of my hips. It would give total space to my ribs, and I knew it was the one. I pointed without hesitation.

"That one," I said in a calm voice, and she nodded in approval.

"That's what I was thinking, too."

Any party thrown by my mother is one to be seen. With a powerful lawyer's salary at her disposal, she had free reign to do as she pleased. And when she does something to celebrate a cause, things get crazy. Myself being the usual cause, I would know these things. And she did go all out. The hall was sparkling, and the lights were bouncing off of the chandeliers just right. There were waiters all around holding trays of Champagne, in their cute little black tuxedos, and long elegant white tables. As I stepped into the room by my parents' side, all heads turned toward us, and it was silent for a moment, and then out of nowhere, clapping erupted around us, and all the faces were smiling, and I felt warm all over for the first time in a long time. And when I looked to see who the source was, I knew immediately.

It was Timothy.


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own 'Batman'.

**Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but I spent a lot of time on this and wanted to get this right. I have decided this will be the last chapter. If you are sad, I know. I am too. I feel like I **_**am**_** Ellie now. I don't want to part with her! But, all good things must come to an end. So, here you have the LAST chapter to my story, and my alter ego, ****Elizabeth Eisenhower, Mrs. Robin****. **

Now, I look back on the day of that party and smile. I know that it was just the beginning of everything that was to come of Timothy and me. We were just meant to be. The party was glorious, beautiful in every aspect it could be. Tim and I danced until the sun came up, and that was the day he told me he loved me. I loved him, too. We had a hard time together, him being a vigilante and all. And sometimes we broke up, exhausted with all the fights and the effort that we had to put into that relationship.

There was one time in particular that my heart shattered over him. It was graduation day, the sun was shining and the birds were humming their merry tune. To this day, I can't remember why we broke up, but when we separated, he took my heart with him.

"I don't care!" I shouted at him, throwing anything that I could find, which happened to be my graduation cap. "I don't want to hear your excuses! I mean- you do this all the time and I-" I stopped, thinking about my words. "I can't do this any more," I whispered. "I just can't." He stared at me, and my eyes filled with tears.

"Hey! Congratulations!" Bruce Wayne chuckled, slapping us both on the back and startling me. But even though I was startled, I kept my eyes on Tim's.

"Yeah, thanks," I sniffed, and whipped my tears. Bruce looked worried, because we had grown close over the years. I had this knack for getting kidnapped. Like Daphne. "Maybe I'll see you around," I whispered to Tim and Bruce. "Excuse me." I made my way away, and, although it killed me inside, I deleted my favorite contact. _Tim 3. _

The next year, I began school at Metropolis University. I knew my parents would have preferred it if I had stayed in Gotham, but I needed to get away. I was taking the standard classes, but I was interning at _The Daily Planet_, so I could become a reporter some day. My first day there was a little bit shaky, but the staff was nice, well, most of the staff, and I eased into it quickly. I also enjoyed having a hero around me again.

Oh, please. Of course I knew Clark Kent was Superman. It would take an idiot not to notice. And apparently, all of Metropolis was an idiot. It's not like glasses actually hide anything. The first time I saw him, I mean _really _saw him, I knew. And he knew I knew, too. After about an hour of awkward back and forth staring, he decided to take matters into him own hands. He cornered me in a utility closet, and shut the door abruptly.

"How do you know?" He asked, straightforward. I like my men straightforward. I decided to play dumb.

"Know what?"

"You know what!" He lowered his voice. "Know that I'm Superman!"

_"Ooohhh..." _ I said in false remembrance. "Yeah. I'm just good at this kind of stuff. And, do you really think a pair of glasses will hide who you are?"

"Well, it's worked so far," he pointed out. I shrugged.

"Touché."

After that, we got pretty close. He came to me with his problems, and I was more than happy to answer them. It made feel important, like when I was with Timothy. When I was with him, I always knew what was going on in the city, like where to avoid and where to spend a lot of time. And Tim was a venter, so he would vent to me about his daddy issues with Bruce all the time. And then one day Batman came to Metropolis.

"Did you hear?" Jimmy, a kindly photographer, asked me. I shook my head.

"Hear what?"

"Batman's in Metropolis! Lois is going to have a field day with this! Superman, too! Batman might just be more that little ole Metropolis can handle! I mean _two _heroes here?" He was so blown away; I couldn't help but humor him. Even though I was miles away in my head, speculating over this Batman stuff. I turned to him.

"Hey Jimmy?"

"Huh?"

"Do you know if Robin is in town, too?" Jimmy shrugged.

"I don't know," he said sadly. "But I bet Clark'll know!" I nodded again and walked away, in a trance.

"Clark," I called when I got to his desk.

"Yes?" He responded.

"You know about Batman being in town, right?" He nodded.

"Oh, of course I do! But don't worry. Batman and Superman are on just swell terms." He winked at me.

"Sure, sure. But do you know if Robin is in town, too?"

"…Why?" I didn't want to give away too much of my position, but I needed to.

"I sort of have… History with them, that's all. So, do you know?"

"Yes, he did come too, I believe. But they shouldn't be in town all that long if the history you have is not the best."

"Thanks," I muttered and began to walk away. But then I thought twice and stepped back. "Do you think I could have the day off?" Clark shrugged.

"Why not? I mean, the boss is out, so you'll have to ask Lois. She's second in command. But I don't see why not."

"Great. And I'll be on call if you need some bat-related advice."

Lois Lane gave me the day off, and I didn't know what to do with it. I honestly didn't know why I had asked for it in the first place, but it was an instinct, and I trusted it. I was in a frenzy with the guys being in town, and everyone I saw looked like Timothy to me. Half of me was dying to see him, but the other half kept telling me it wasn't worth it. So I did what I had to do to calm down. I went to the beach.

Going to the beach was something I didn't get to do back in Gotham. Everywhere was either too polluted or too dangerous, so the only tanning I got to do was in a tanning bed. I got my things and put on my bikini, before going out into the streets. I had put on my shirt, shorts and flip flops first, of course.

Every time I wore my bikini I was reminded of the time the Joker had held me captive. I had scars from the shrapnel, even though they were small and barely noticeable, and to this day, my side aches every time there is a cloudy sky. When I got to the beach, I laid my things out on the sand and closed my eyes. The sun was the answer, always the answer. It was warm and inviting and it made my head clear. I laid like that for about an hour in my sunglasses, before a shadow overthrew my ray of sunlight. I slowly opened my eyes, and saw something that made my heart skip a beat.

It was Timothy.

I jumped up from my bed in the sand, and just stared. "What are you doing here?" I gasped, so shocked to see him.

"Would you believe me if I told you it was to see you?" I shook my head.

"You road-tripped all the way to Metropolis just to see me?"

"Yes. Ellie, I love you. There is no number of times I can say it that it won't be true. I have loved you since the day you sat in front of me in Algebra 2. You broke my heart on graduation day when you left. I haven't stopped thinking about you. I haven't been seeing anyone else. I need you, Ellie. You're my saving grace. I am utterly worthless without you. So, please, even though I have forgotten what we broke up over, come back to me. I need you." I let his speech register, and then I pounced up, giving him the biggest kiss I had ever given before. His hands ran up and down my bare stomach, and I shivered into him, loving his essence. When we ran out of breath, I released him.

"I don't remember either," I admitted, and laughed into his neck. God, had I missed him.

After that, I transferred to Gotham University, and became a reporter there. It was nice to be back home. I was the leading reporter for the newspaper, and eventually started my own private detective agency with Tim.

One year later, he proposed. I said yes.

So, there are few things that make living in Gotham bearable. I may have music, I may have entertainment, but with out Tim Drake, I would be utterly miserable.

**The End! **

**That's all, folks! Review and tell me if you loved it, hated it, or whatever! Thank you all for joining me on this journey… It was wonderful. And I hope you don't mind that little Superman crossover I did in there. I felt it was needed. I hope you tell me what you think. **

**Give me your love for the last time! **

**Because I love all of you! **

**~AmeliaReddy **


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